Tank structure



, A. M. GRIFFIN TANK STRUCTURE Filed May 20, 1925 April 21 3 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEYS April 21, 1931. GRIFFlN I I 1,801,501

TANK STRUCTURE Filed May 20, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 21,1931. A. M. GRIFFIN' TANK STRUCTURE Filed May 20, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm Q ATTOR N EYS Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALVAI-I M. GRIFFIN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISQOURI, ASSIGNOR TO ANDREW A. KRAMER TANK STRUCTURE Application filed May 20,

This invention relates to valve mechanism for tanks and has reference more particularly to constructions employed in tanks for dispensing volatile liquids such as gasoline.

It has been proposed heretofore to construct such a tank with transverse partitions at intervals along its length dividing the tank proper into a plurality of compartments and to provide each of these compartments with a valve controlling an outlet from the bottom thereof to an exit pipe through which the gasoline may be withdrawn. The movable members of these valves may be mounted upon rods which extend upwardly through the several tank compartments and through the top wall of the tank where they coact with the elements of a valve-operating mechanism which is preferably so constructed as to permit of selecting any particular valve and operating it independently of the others.

This invention is directed to the provision of an improved construction for the mechanism for operating such outlet valves of a compartment tank. Such a mechanism should be operable from the rear of the tank vehicle where a compartment is usually. placed to house the outlet faucets or mechanism associated therewith and cans which may be employed in delivering the gasoline.

It is desirable that the construction employed be such as to aid in insuring against accidents due to carelessness, fire, collision and similar causes and to this end provision is made for insuring that the valves in the several tank compartments will be closed when the door of the rear compartment is closed and can be opened to permit withdrawal of gasoline only when the door of the rear compartment has been opened.

In accordance with the present invention, the operation of the compartment valves is made directly dependent upon the door of the rear compartment, the opening of that door eifecting the opening of such one of the several compartment valves as has been selected by the manipulation of the valve mechanism. This insures that all of the compartment valves will be in their closed position when the door of the rear compartment is closed, that only one of the compartment valves will 1925. Serial No. 31,621.

be opened at a time and that such valve will be opened only when the operator is at the rear end of the tank vehicle and opens the door of the rear compartment for the purpose of going through the several manipulations incident to dispensing a quantity of the liquid.

A valve mechanism of the character outlined may be of a construction which facilitates combining with it desirable safety devices. Provision may readily be made for closing any valve which may be opened from the front end of the vehicle, as for instance, the drivers seat, in case of emergency, as for instance in the event of a fire at the rear end of the tank making it impossible for the operator to reach the valve operating devices located there. Also, provision may readily be made for insuring that the motor employed for propelling the tank vehicle is out of operation and incapable of operating before any compartment valve may be opened for the dispensing of gasoline and for insuring that the motor will remain inoperative until all the compartment valves and the door of the rear compartment have been closed.

This and other features of the invention will be" better understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiment of the invention. In these drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tank vehicle having the improved valve construction applied thereto; Fig. is a top view of the tank structure; Fig.3 is a view of the rear end of the tank structure; Figs. 4 and 5 are detail transverse views on lines 4-4= and 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a View corresponding to Fig. 3 illustrating a modified construction; Fig. 7 is an elevation of the rear end of a tank constructed in accordance with Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 6, Fig. 9 .is a plan view illustrating a modified construction; Fig. 10 is a view in elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 9 ;.and Figs. 11 and 12 aredetail views of certain of the parts shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, a tank structure is shown at 13 mounted upon the frame of a motor vehicle 14. The tank is formed by a wrapper sheet which is bent to the form of an ellipse and vertical transverse partition plates 15 are incorporated in the tank structure to divide it into a plurality of separate compartments. The bottom wall of each of these compartments is provided with an outlet opening controlled by a valve 16 and from these outlet openings suitable outlet pipes, not shown in the drawings, extend to the rear of the tank structure.

At the rear end of the tank is a compartment 17 within which may be located the faucets at the ends of the outlet pipes or the handles for controlling them. Also this compartment may house a hose for attachment to the end of an outlet pipe in conveying the gasoline to a suitable container and also cans and similar receptacles. In Fig. 3 the compartment 17 is shown as provided with doors 18 hinged at their side edges to the rear wall 19 of the compartment 17 and provided with a suitable latch 20.

The movable member of each of the valves 16 is carried by a rod 21 which extends upwardly through the compartment controlled by that valve and through the top wall thereof. At its upper end above the top wall of the tank, each of these rods 21 is connected to an L-shaped piece 22 having one end directed horizontally as shown in Fig. 3. This end of the piece 22 extends through a vertically disposed guide 23 which serves to limit the movement of the piece 22 to a vertically straight line movement. The lower face of the horizontally extended portion of the piece 22 is beveled as shown in Fig. 4. Also, this end of the piece 22 overlies and extends parallel to a stationary member 24 which may also serve as a support for the guide 23. Each of the valves 16 is opened by the horizontal movement of an arm 25, the end of which is beveled as shown in Fig. 1. When this arm is moved, its beveled end is carried into eoaction with the beveled lower face of the piece 22 and over the horizontal top face of the guide 24 and continued movement of the arm 25 causes the piece 22 to move upward vertically within the guide 23 by the coaetion of these beveled surfaces.

There are several of these arms 25, one for each valve of the several compartments, and the several arms are mounted upon a shaft 26 extending the full length of the tank and mounted for rotational movement in bearings indicated at 27. The several arms 25 are secured upon the rock shaft 26 in different angular positions, that is, they are distributed about the axis of the shaft as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In the construction illustrated there are three compartments in the tank and there fore three arms 25 on the shaft 26 and these are angularly displaced one from another as shown in Fig. 3.

At its rear end the shaft 26 is provided with a sprocket 28 on which a chain 29 runs and this chain also runs on a sprocket 30 on a short shaft mounted for rotation in bearings in the front and rear walls of the rear compartment 17. This shaft is provided with a hand wheel 31. By manipulating this wheel the shaft 26 may be turned in its bearings to carry any one of the arms 25 around to the angular position indicated in Fig. 1 in which its beveled end is in position for coaction with the beveled end of the piece 22 of the corresponding compartment valve.

These positions of the shaft 26 are defined by a spring-actuated member such as that illustrated in Fig. 5. In this figure the shaft 26 is shown as supported in a bearing member 32 mounted upon the wall of the compartment 17. here it passes through this member 32 the shaft 26 is provided with a plurality of depressions corresponding in an gular position to the positions of the arms 25. Also, the bearing 32 is provided with a threaded extension in which is received a ball 33 pressed toward the shaft 26 by a spring 34: and a screw 35 for adjusting the tension of the spring 34. Thus as theshaft 26 is turned, the ball 33 is forced by spring 34 into one or another of the depressions 36 in the shaft 26 and in that way serves to define the positions of the shaft 26 in which the arms 25 thereon are in the appropriate valve opening positions.

The shaft 26, in addition to being rotatable in its bearings to select the valve which is to be opened, is movable axially in its bearings to efiect the opening of the valve in the manner indicated in Figf l and this axial movement of the shaft is effected by the opening movement of the door or doors of the rear compartment 17. In Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, one of the doors 18 is shown as having the shaft 37 of one its hinges extended upwardly through suitable bearings 38 and carrying an arm 39 at its upper end. The free end of this arm is bifurcated and extends into a circumferential groove in a member 40 secured to the shaft 26. Thus when the doors 18 are opened the shaft 37 is turned in its bearings and the arm 39 thereon operates in coaction with the member 40 to move the shaft 26 axially. Such axial movement carriesthat one of the arms 25 on shaft 26 which is then opposite its coacting member 22 into engagement with that member and by reason of the engaging beveled surfaces thereon the outlet valve of the corresponding compartment is opened to permit the free flow of the liquid therefrom. The opening movement of this valve is effected against the tension of a spring 41 which acts to close the valve whenever the doors 18 of the rear compartment of the tank are closed. Such closing movement of the doors is accompanied by turning of shaft 37 and arm 39 and axial movement of shaft 26 in the reverse direction, carrying the arm 25 which opened its valve away from the cor.- responding member 22.

Thus the operator of the vehicle can select any tank compartment from which he desires to withdraw the liquid by manipulation of the hand wheel 31 which is preferably provided with numbers thereon as shown in Fig. 3, coacting with a suitable index on the adjacent wall of the compartment; then having selected the desired compartment, on opening the doors 18 of the compartment at the rear of the vehicle the selected valve is opened.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show a modification of the construction above described in that the door 42 of'the rear compartment is hinged to its upper edge and is opened in the manner indicated in Fig. 7.

To adapt the construction above described for use in connection with a door hinged in this manner, the door may have a bracket 43 securedthereto on which is a roller 44 adapted to move, as the door is opened and closed, between parallel rods 45 of a frame 46 secured to the vertically disposed shaft 37. In other respects the construction shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is like that of the preceding figures. 'The turning of the door about the hinges at its upper horizontal edge causes the roller 44 carried thereby to move up or down and in such movement it turns the shaft 37 in its bearings and thereby shifts the shaft 26 axially to open that one of the compartment valves which has been selected by the previous rotational movement of the shaft 26 effected by the hand wheel 31.

Referring now to Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive, a tank 13 is shown divided into compartments by partition plates 15 and a compartment 17 is provided at the rear as above described. Also, each compartment of the tank is provided with an outlet valve at the bottom thereof and the rods of these valves extend up through the top wall of the tank as shown at 21. Secured to the upper end of each of these valve rods 21 is a laterally extending arm 47 whose end is bifurcated to forms jaws 48. A shaft extending lengthwise of the tank is mounted in bearings permitting it to be rotated and also to be moved axially as in the case of the shaft 26 in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive. On this shaft are a plurality of laterally extending arms 49, one for each valve rod 21. These arms are so located lengthwise of the shaft referred to that only one of them is in coaction with the corresponding arm 47 at any one time. a

In Figs. 9 and 10 the arm 49 at the left is shown as cooperating with its arm 47 while the next one to the right is spaced 2. short distance from its arm 47, and the third one is spaced a considerably greater distance. Axial movement of the shaft on which these arms 49 are mounted moves the end of one arm 49 from between the jaws 48 of the corresponding arm 47 and carries the end of another arm 49 between the jaws with which it coacts.

In the present instance the shaft on which the arms 49 are mounted in a composite shaft consisting of a tube 50 and a. rod 51 extending through this tube. The tube 50 is mounted for' rotation and axial movement in suitable bearings 52. At one end it is provided with a crank arm 53 and adjacent to this crank arm the rod 51 is provided with a crank arm 54 whose end is bent laterally and extends to a position for engagement with the arm 53.

On the wall of the rear compartment 17 is mounted a lever 55 which may be manipulated manually to shift the shaft 50 axially in its bearings. This lever is pivotally mounted asshown and coacts with notches in a bar 56 mounted on the compartment wall; when the lever is in any one of these notches one of the arms 49 is in position to actuate the corresponding valve. The opposite end of the lever 55 is bifurcated and straddles a collar 57 on the rod 51.

At its opposite end the rod 51 extends be yond the end of the tube 50 and has a bracket 58 secured to it. This bracket has a hand 1e ver- 59 pivotally mounted on it and the lever is connected by links (30 to the end of the tube. 50. A spring 61 is coiled upon the end of rod 51 between the end of tube 50 and the bracket Thus by manipulating the hand lever 55 at the rear end of the tank, the haft consisting of the tube 50 and rod 51 may be moved axial- 1y to any selected position, that is, the position for actuating any one of the outlet valves of the compartments. WVhen this has been done the shaft is rotated in its bearings to cause the selected valve to be opened. To accomplish this the extreme end of the rod 51 is provided with a crank arm 62 which extends into the pathof movement of the door 42 closing the compartment at the rear of the tank. Thus when the door 42 is turned about its pivots to the open position, it engages the end of crank 62 and rotates the rod 51; through the coacting cranks 54 and 53 this causes corresponding rotation of the tube 50 and the arms 49 mounted thereon and that arm which lies between the jaws 48 of one of the arms 47 operates to open the corresponding outlet valve.

At any time any valve which is in the open position may be closed from the front of the tank structure by operating the handle 59, as for instance, in the event of a fire or explosionmaking it impossible to approach the rear end of the tank. When lever 59 is pulled forward it operates through the link 61 to draw the tube 50 forward against the tension of spring 61 and this movement of the tube 50 is sufficient to carry the arm 49 of the open valve from between the jaws 48 of the arm 47 for operating that valve, and consequently the valve is immediately closed by its spring.

In tank structures of this character it is usual to provide a fusible link in the devices for holding the rear door open, whereby in the event of a fire at the rear end of the tank the door will be closed as a result of the melting of this link.

If this provision were made in combination with the construction shown in Figs. 9 to 12, the melting of the link and consequent closing of the door 42 might result in rotational movement of the rod 51 as the door closes, and if such rotational movement of the rod were not accompanied by rotational movement of the tube 50, the end of arm 5 1 would move away from the end of arm 53; if desired the spring 61 may be so arranged that on such independent turning of the rod 51 the spring is wound and acts to move the tube 50 to an extent corresponding to the rotation of the rod.

The faucets through which the gasoline is withdrawn may have their discharge ends at the bottom of compartment 17 and cans may be filled from these faucets; or, if desired, arrangements may be provided for utilizing a hose whose end is inserted through an opening in the bottom of the compartment 1'? or is connected to a suitable coupling member lying at the bottom of that compartment. If desired, the hose connection may be made to a coupling member disposed horizontally and accessible only when the doors 18 or 42 are opened. If such an arrangement as that is employed, provision should be made whereby the presence of the hose connected for dispensing gasoline will not obstruct the automatic operation of the various devices to prevent danger in case of lire.

Figs. 6 and"? show construction which may be employed for this purpose. Here the door 42 is formed of two parts and 72 which are hinged together and the horizontally disposed coupling member to which the hose is attached is mounted within the compartment 17 directly back of the lower door member 72. The hinge connecting the two parts of the door is shown l8 and on the inner faces of the parts 'M- and 73 short angle pieces 72 are secured upon them as shown in Fig. 7. hen the hose is in place for dispensing gasoline, if a fire were to occur at the rear end of the tank and the automatic devices responded to the high temperature by allowing the door 12 to drop, the movement of the door 42 to its closed position-would not be obstructed by the hose for the lower part 7 2 of the door would turn abom the hinge 7 3 and allow the part to assume its completely closed position, with the result that the automatic devices whose ope ation is dependent upon the movement 0; one door would function properly. The purpose of the angle pieces 7% is to prevent buckling movement of the two parts of the door when the latter are in the closed position and locked.

The parts described may be so arranged that the movement incident to opening any one of the outlet valves renders the propelling motor of the tank vehicle inoperative and prevents it from being operated again until after the valve has been closed. can be accomplished readily by associating with the valve mechanism an electric switch controlling the ignition circuit of the propelling motor such that when any one of the compartment valves is opened the ignition circuit is opened at this switch.

As the opening of a valve is effected by rotational movement of the rod 51, the switch may be arranged to be controlled by the position of this rod. A pair of electric switch members 63 are normally in contact to permit closing of the ignition circuit but when the rod 51 is rotated to open one of the compartment valves, a projection on the lower end of the handle 59 enters between these switch members and spreads them apart thereby opening the ignition circuit and holding it open until the rod 51 is rotated back to its initial position to effect closure of any compartment valve then open.

I claim:

1. The combination of a tank divided by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending length ise of the tank and movable both axially and' rotationally to select any one of the compartment valves and open the selected valve, a compartment at the rear of the tank provided with a door controlling access to the interior thereof, and a manually operable controlling device mounted upon the exterior wall of the said compartment and connected to the said shaft for operating it to select a valve which is to be opened and mechanism connected to the shaft for operating it to open the selected valve.

2. The combination of a tank divided by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank compartments, valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending lengthwise of the tank and movable both axially and rotationally to select any one of the compartment valves and open the selected valve, a compartment at the rear of the tank provided with a door controlling access to the interior thereof, a manually operated member mounted upon the exterior wall of the said compartment and connected to said shaft for operating it to select the valve which is to be opened, and means operated by the door for actuating the said shaft to open the selected valve.

3. The combination of a tank divided. by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank This Lil

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compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending lengthwise of the tank and movable both axially and rotationally to select any one of the compartment valves and to open the selected valve, a compartment at the rear of the tank provided with a doorcontrolling access to the interior thereof and two means for operating the said shaft, one of them for moving it rotationally and the other for moving it axially, one of said means being located upon the exterior of the wall of the said compartment at the rear of the tank and the other of said means being operated by the movement of the door of the said compartment.

4. The combination of a tank divided by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending lengthwise of the tank and movable both axially and rotationally to select any one of the compartment valves and to open the selected valve, a compartment at the rear of the tank provided with a door providing access to the interior thereof and two means located at the rear of the tank for actuating the said shaft, one of said means being connected to and operable by the door of the said compartment.

5. The combination of a tank divided by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending lengthwise of the tank and movable both axially and rotationally to select any one of the compartment valves and to open the selected valve, a compartment at the rear of the tank provided with a door providing access to the interior thereof, an arm connected to the door so as to be actuated thereby and a connection from said arm to said shaft.

6. The combination of a tank divided by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending lengthwise of the tank and movable both axially and rotationally to select any one of the compartment valves and to open the selected valve, a compartment atthe rear of the tank provided with a door controlling access to the interior thereof, two means for actuating the said shaft located at the rear of the tank and one of them connected to and actuated by the movement of the door of said compartment, and means located at the front of the tank for effecting closure of any valve that is open.

7. The combination of a tank divided by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending lengthwise of the tank and movable axially to select any valve that is to be opened, a compartment at the rear of the tank provided with a door controlling access to the interior thereof, means located adjacent to said compartment for effecting axial move- -ment of the shaft and means actuated by the movement of said door for rotating the shaft and thereby opening the selected valve.

8. The combination of a tank divided by transverse partitions into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a tube mounted in bearings and extending lengthwise of the tank, a compartment at the rear of the tank provided with a door providing access to the interior thereof, a manually-operated member mounted adjacent to the said compartment and connected to the tube to effect axial movement thereof and thereby select any valve to be opened, a rod extending through the tube and connected to it for effecting rotation of it, means actuated by the movement of the said door for rotating the rod to open a selected valve, and means located at the forward end of the tank for effecting relative movement of the tube and rod and thus effect closure of any Valve which is then open.

9. The combination of a tank divided into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a shaft extending lengthwise of the tank and movable to select any one of the compartment valves and movable to open the selected valve, actuating means located at one end of the tank for imparting the move ments to the shaft and means located at the opposite end of the tank for moving the shaft to dissociate the means by which the valve is moved.

10. The combination of a tank divided into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each coinpartment, avalve operating device extending lengthwise of the tank and movable to select any one of the compartment valves and movable to open the selected valve, a member located at one end of the tank for moving the valve operating device to select the valve Which is to be opened, means for locking the valve operating device in position when any one of the valves has been selected, and means for moving the valve operating device to open the selected valve.

11. The combination of a tank divided into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, a valve operating device extending lengthwise of the tank and movable to select any one of the compartment valves and movable to open the selected valve, a member located at one end of the tank for moving the valve operating device to select the valve which is to be opened, means for locking the valve operating device in position when any one of the valves has been selected, and

means for moving the valve operating device to open the selected valve, and a manually operable member located at the opposite end of the tank for moving the valve operating device to close any valve which is then open.

12. The combination of a tank divided into a plurality of tank compartments, a valve controlling an outlet from each compartment, means operable from one end of the tank for selectively operating the compartment valves, and means operable from the opposite end of the tank to dissociate the means by which the valve is moved.

13. A vehicle provided with a propelling motor having an electric circuit as a part thereof, a tank mounted on said vehicle, said tank having a discharge outlet, means for controlling a flow of liquid through the discharge outlet, and means associated with the controlling means for maintaining the electric circuit open when the controlling means is not closed.

14. A vehicle provided with a propelling motor having an electric circuit as a part thereof, a tank mounted on said vehicle, a compartment attached to the tank having a door, means associated with the said door by which liquid may be emptied from the tank, and means associated with the first-mentioned means for maintaining the electric circuit open while the liquid is being emptied.

15. In combination with a number of tank chambers and valve devices pertaining to said chambers, a control rod movable both lengthwise and turnably, and instrumentalities set in different angular positions along said rod, whereby turning the rod to diilerent degrees selects one or another of the valve devices for actuation while subsequent longitudinal movement of the rod causes the actuation.

16. In combination with a number of tank chambers and valve devices pertaining to said chambers, a control rod movable both lengthwise and turnably, and dogs set in different angular positions along said rod whereby turning the rod to different degrees brings one or another of dogs into line with the corresponding valve device while subsequent longitudinal movement of the rod causes the dog to move the device.

17 In combination with a number of tank chambers and valve devices pertaining to said chambers, a control rod movable both lengthwise and turnably, and instrumentalities set in different relative positions along said rod whereby one movement of the rod serves to select a valve device for actuation while the other movement causes the actua tion, an indicating selector having an opera.- tive connection with the control rod to produce one of the movements thereof, and an actuatin lever having e ror the tion wit the control rod other movement of the control rod, said connections bein non-interfering.

18. In combination with a number of tank chambers and valve devices pertaining to said chambers, a control rod movable both lengthwise and turnably, and instrumentalities set in diilerent relative positions along said rod whereby one movement of the rod serves to select a valve device for actuation while the other movement causes the actuation, a wheel fixed on said control rod, a selector, and a flexible connection between said selector and said wheel.

19. In combination with a number of tank chambers and valve devices pertaining to said chambers, a control rod movable both lengthwise and turnably, and instrumentalities set in different angular positions along said rod, whereby turning the rod to different degrees selects one or another of the valve devices for actuation while subsequent longitudinal movement of the rod causes the actuation, a selector having an operative connection with said control rod adapted to turn the same to different predetermined positions, and an actuating lever having an operative connection with the control rod for moving the same longitudinally relative to the turning connection.

20. The combination of a tank having a plurality of compartments, a v valve associated with each compartment to control the flow of liquid therefrom, means projecting upwardly from each valve to a point above its compartment wall whereby said valve may be actuated, a control rod extending along one side of the said projecting means, this rod being movable longitudinally and rotationally, devices carried at different relative positions along said rod and so arranged that upon turning movement of said rod one of said devices is in operative relation to the means associated with a selected valve, means for rocking the rod to bring one of said devices into operative position, and means for moving the rod longitudinally whereby the device moved into operative relation to a selected valve is caused to actuate said valve.

21. In a tank'wagon propelled by an internal combustion engine the combination of a plurality of tank chambers provided with valves, means operable from one point for selecting any one of said valves and actuating the selected valve, a switch controlling the ignition circuit of the propelling motor, and means for effecting the opening of the switch actuated by the said valve-opening means.

22. In a'tank wagon propelled by an internal combustion engine, the combination of a plurality of compartments each provided with a valve for controlling outflow therefrom, a control rod movable both lengthwise and rotationally, instrumentalities disposed along said rod and so arranged that upon movement of said rod. in one direction a selected one of said instrumentalities is brought into operative relation to one of the valves and upon movement of the rod in the other direction the said valve is opened, a switch controlling the igniton circuit of said propelling motor, and means actuated by the rod for opening the said switch when the rod is moved to open one of the valves.

23. In a tank wagon provided with an inw ternal combustion propelling motor,the combination of a plurality of tank compartments, each having an outlet valve, means for selecting one of said valves and opening the said valve, and means controlled by said 15 valve-opening means for controlling the operation of said motor and so arranged that the motor is prevented from operating while a valve is open.

at. The combination with a plurality of go tank chambers and valve devices for controlling fiow of liquid from said chambers, of a control rod movable lengthwise. and r0- tationally, instrumentalities set in difierent angular positions on said rodand adapted as selectively to actuate said valve devices, and

means for giving the, rod one movement to bring an instrumentality inoperative relation with a selected valve and for thereafter giving the rod the other movement to open 30 the selected valve device. I

25. The combination with a plurality of tank chambers arranged in a row, and valve devices for controlling fiow of liquid from said chambers, of a control rod extending 55 along said row and movable lengthwise and rotationally, instrumentalities set in different angular positions on said rod and adapted se lectively to actuate said valve devices, and means including an operating handle for givao ing the rod one movement to bring one of said instrumentalities in o erative relation to a selected valve device an for then giving the rod the other movement to open said device. as 26. In a tank wagon, the combination of a plurality of valve compartments arranged in 'a row, a "valve device associated with each compartment for controlling the 110w of liquid therefrom, a compartment at one end of 56 the tank provided with a door affording access to the interior thereof, a control rod ex tending lengthwise of the row of compartments and movable lengthwise and rotationally, instrumentalities set in diiferent angu- 55 lar positions on said rod for selectively actuating said valve devices, means for giving the rod a movement in one direction to bring an instrumentality into operative relation to a selected valve device and for then givin the 60 rod the other movement to actuate sai "device, and means engaged by said door to cause a movement of the rod to permit the selected valve device to close as the door is closed.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

B5 ALVAH M. GRIFFIN. 

